We read about it everywhere, “Upcoming trends in 2019” or “New colour trends this season” or “Fabric trends to follow” or “Trends that is disappearing this year”.
Let’s have a closer look at trends, where it comes from, how it is predicted or forecasted and how you can make it work for you without being labelled as either sheepish or slow to follow.
trend
/trɛnd/
noun
1.
a general direction in which something is developing or changing.
“an upward trend in sales and profit margins”
synonyms:tendency, movement, drift, swing, shift, course, current, run, direction, inclination, leaning;
2.
a fashion.
“the latest trends in modern dance”
synonyms:fashion, vogue, style, mode, craze, mania, rage;
verb
1.
change or develop in a general direction.
“unemployment has been trending upwards”
synonyms:move, go, tend, head, drift, gravitate, swing, shift, turn, incline, lean, veer
“interest rates are trending up in Japan”
2.
(of a topic) be the subject of many posts on a social media website or application within a short period of time.
“I’ve just taken a quick look at what’s trending on Twitter right now”
People follow trends because they want reassurance that what they do is the correct thing to do, they want to be seen making the right choices. This is also why the psychological role of the Interior Designer is so very important versus jut being a glorified project manager. The Interior Designer is there to discover the deepest need of the client and answer to it through careful selection of items that compliment not only the given space but also the heart’s desire.
Trend forecasters like @LidewijEdelkoort has been on the forefront of forecasting for decades now. She has been involved in numerous projects predicting how people will behave in the future, making it easier for companies to develop trend that serve the changing expectations of the consumer.
Explaining trends:
First we have to understand that trend is not just trend. Trend can be broken down into several different concepts.
Mega Trends: These are trends that last decades. It is emotional, transformational, fundamental. It changes with the world, bringing into account the changes in world economics, global environment as well as social changes of populations. Current ongoing mega trend is sleek, inspirational and minimalist. It is built upon year after year, decade after decade, becoming more and more sophisticated and functional. Sustainability is a mega trend that is developed year after year with the focus on saving the planet. Textile design, use of appliances and building materials as well as manufacturing techniques are all trends promoting sustainability.
Super trends: These are trends that last years and a good example of it was the “everything-grey” trend that is now coming to an end giving way for warmer neutrals like beige’s.
Flash Trends: These are trends that come and go in a flash. It definitely has an impact on behavior but is mostly short lived.
Mini Trends: These trends last for months at a time, it may be seasonal and is very well noted as it may be an indicator of how super trends may develop and evolve in the near future.
Micro Trends: They are offshoots of mega trends and both quality and quantity of it has an impact on ongoing trends.
Trend of The Year: These are annual trends that may spill over to the next year or not. It comes with big impact, is rigidly followed as “accent trends” to enhance ongoing trends. It includes trends like Pantone colour of the year and so on.
Counter Trends: These are trends that is started by rebellious “underground” movements. A great example of it is the “shabby chic” trend where furniture is reclaimed, revamped and all white washed. It is in line with the trend to promote sustainability but there I nothing sleek about it. It is warm and cozy and lets you reminisce in time.
Now, Deborah always says that she does not follow trend, that she is not into it. What does that mean? And how does she serve the purpose of creating wonderful spaces if trend is not the major drive behind her work?
Deborah design spaces with an eye on the bigger picture. She knows what works and reads a client well enough to establish “a look” that will serve the purpose of the space for years to come. Forecasting is more her thing where she looks into the future making decisions based on what will still work well in 2 or 5 or even 10 years. Ok, the mega trend of minimalist design has definitely influenced her design style since day one and it has lasted throughout the entire 27 years she practiced interior design. For the rest, it is a prediction game.
Call Deborah today if you want to spoil yourself with choices that will place you in a spot where trend has not yet arrived but will follow suit soon enough.
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